


The Politics of Friendship

by out_there



Category: Sports Night
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-14
Updated: 2005-01-14
Packaged: 2017-10-15 05:34:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/157538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_there/pseuds/out_there
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Google can lead to interesting places.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Politics of Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> A silly ficlet brought on by [this result](http://www.asg.northwestern.edu/vote/election.2003.04.15/results.php) from googling _Casey McCall Dan Rydell_. This will probably make more sense if you skim that page first. Thanks to [](http://phoebesmum.livejournal.com/profile)[**phoebesmum**](http://phoebesmum.livejournal.com/) for betaing.

Dan paused in the office doorway, looking at the bright purple page showing on Casey's computer. "What's that?"

Casey spun around as if caught. "Nothing."

"It's a very brightly colored nothing," Dan said as he walked behind Casey. Looking over Casey's shoulder, he read aloud, "[Associated Student Government. 2003 Executive Board Election Results.](http://www.asg.northwestern.edu/vote/election.2003.04.15/results.php)"

Casey shrugged, but didn't explain.

"Do you know someone who goes to Northwestern University?"

"No."

Dan sighed, looking at the page. "Then why are you looking up student politics from Northwestern?"

"I'm not."

Dan turned his head to the side, staring at Casey. The effect was somewhat ruined by the way that Casey kept watching the screen. "And yet, the page is open."

Casey shrugged nonchalantly, but Dan wasn't fooled. "What are you looking up, Casey?"

"Us."

"Us?"

"You and me."

"Which would be us," Dan said sarcastically.

"You asked."

"No, not 'us' as in 'who is us,'" Dan clarified. "'Us' as in 'why in the world are you looking at this site, if you were looking up us?'"

"Ah." Casey leaned back slightly, enough to turn his head towards Dan. "The question was misleading."

Dan rolled his eyes. "I still don't know how you got from us to Northwestern."

"I was searching for 'Dan Rydell,'" Casey said, making air-quotations with his fingers, "and 'Casey McCall.'"

"Jeremy was showing you how to use Google again, right?" Dan smirked. "Did he have to explain the concept of point-and-click?"

Casey frowned. "You have a lack of respect for Jeremy's vast wealth of technical knowledge."

"No," Dan corrected snidely, "I have a healthy contempt for your _lack_ of technical knowledge."

Casey glared at him and turned back to the computer screen.

Dan sighed and decided to try asking again. "Still, how did you get from Google to here?"

"I don't know," Casey said in a rather confused tone.

"You don't know?"

"I searched and it came up with a list of pages. In fact, it came up with a lot of pages. I picked one at random, and tried one of the links."

"And it brought you here," Dan guessed.

Casey nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

Casey stared at Dan. "Is there any rational reason why you think I'd know that?"

Dan chuckled. "Good point."

"Still," Casey said, waving a hand towards the very purple page, "it came up."

"Have you tried searching for us?"

Casey frowned. "That's what I was doing."

"No," Dan said, leaning forward and taking control of the keyboard, "have you tried searching the page for our names? If it came up on Google, we'll be mentioned somewhere."

"Really?" Casey grinned. "That's kind of cool."

"Sometimes, I wonder how you survive in the twenty-first century." Dan quickly pressed the control button and the F key. He typed Casey McCall into the Find box. "I really, really do."

Hitting enter, the page skimmed down the list, highlighting ' _1 Casey McCall._ '

"Am I the only one thinking of a shopping list?" Casey wondered aloud.

Dan snorted as he skimmed the list. "I don't think anyone's ever shopped for ' _Taxi Drivers from Cancun_ ', Casey."

"Just asking."

Dan skimmed up the page. "So apparently, someone voted for you in the 2003 Executive Board. As President."

Casey grinned. "Do you think it pays more than Sports Night?"

"You got one vote. More people voted for Dr McSquishypants," Dan pointed out. "I don't think you have to worry about pay comparison just yet."

Casey laughed, and then his brows drew together in concentration. "So where are you?"

"Huh?"

Casey sounded very unsure of himself. "Shouldn't the search have come up with both of our names?"

"Yeah." Dan quickly searched for his own name. "Huh. I got one vote too."

"We both got a vote for President?"

"Mmmm..." Dan flicked up the page. "I got a vote for Executive Vice President."

"Ah."

"Wait a minute..." Dan scowled at the screen. "How come I got _Vice_ President?"

"Because I'd make a better President?" Casey asked smugly.

Dan glared at him. "I don't think so."

"Because I'm older?"

"No."

Casey blinked as he thought. "Because I'm taller?"

"An inch of height does not make a good president," Dan said in annoyance.

"Because I can speak foreign languages," Casey suggested with an amused grin, "and therefore would be a better emissary to other nations?"

Dan snorted. "It's _student_ politics, Casey. There will be no international trade agreements."

Casey sniggered. "But there would be foreign students. Possibly."

"That's it? That's all you've got to explain this unreasoned favoritism?"

Casey spun around in his chair and leaned back, watching Dan. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"For someone who doesn't know anything about the internet," Dan muttered as he stalked over to the couch, "it's remarkably _kind_ to you."

Dan picked up a magazine from the table and pretended to read through it. He also pretended not to notice Casey standing up and walking over. "Danny?"

Dan peered over the top of the page. "Yes, Mr President?"

Casey squatted down in front of him. "Did you ever think it might be alphabetical?"

Dan raised an eyebrow, and considered raising the magazine higher. "Alphabetical?" he asked with a suitable lack of interest.

"It's just one kid that voted for us, right? He probably just listed our names in alphabetical order." Casey smiled. Not his 'I'm better than you' grin, but his 'you're an idiot but I love you' smile. It was a smile Dan was learning to recognize.

Dan lowered the magazine to his lap. "You think?"

Casey nodded. "I'm sure. Besides, when it comes to politics," Casey said as he stood up, "we both know you're the only one who has a clue."

Dan grinned and settled back into the couch.


End file.
